DA warns about dating site scams

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is warning residents about dating websites that seem to be used more and more by international scam artists to defraud victims.

The district attorney's Elder Fraud Unit reported an out-of-country suspect befriended a 66-year-old San Jose divorcee on ChristianMingle.com and then convinced her to give him more than $500,000. Much of the money came from the her retirement account and was obtained by refinancing her home.

The man claimed to be a U.K. citizen working on a Scottish oil rig. After wooing her with phone calls, text messages, and sending her flowers, he asked the woman to invest or loan him money to operate his business. She wired $200,000 to a Turkish bank account at the man's direction. Once she had found she had been defrauded, she contacted the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.

Deputy District Attorney Cherie Bourlard, with the assistance of D.A. Investigator Tom Newland and Senior Paralegal Duane Shewaga, asked the bank to freeze these funds. The D.A.'s Office reported, when an associate of the man attempted to withdraw the funds, the bank alerted the Turkish National Police. They arrested and jailed Wisdom Onokpite, a Nigerian national.

It was later discovered that Onokpite had entered Turkey using a false passport. The woman's $200,000 was eventually restored to her account. Onokpite faces fraud and other charges in Turkey, according to the D.A.